Improving the quality of water entering Chautauqua Lake is a fundamental goal of watershed management.
Chautauqua Lake is a vibrant ecosystem fed by a 100,000-acre watershed made up of almost 300 miles of streams. Alongside restoration of natural streambanks and tributaries, the Alliance and our Members also strive to improve human-made stormwater infrastructure by strategically implementing best management practices in an effort to:
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Slow stormwater velocity to reduce erosion and sediment transfer to Chautauqua Lake
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Promote natural infiltration of stormwater to reduce water volume and nutrients, which can fuel nuisance plant and algae growth
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Plant trees and shrubs, which intercept rainfall, reduce erosion, and perform biofiltration
- Complement annual lake maintenance with long-term watershed rehabilitation using a variety of funding sources
Please click the project buttons below to learn more.
“A drop of water, if it could write out its own history, would explain the universe to us.”
-Lucy Larcom
Featured Project: Lakewood/Busti Precision Swales Retrofit
- Improvements to ~4,600 linear feet of roadside swales in Lakewood and Busti
- Incorporation of salt-tolerant native deep-rooted plants which help to reduce nutrient concentrations
- Includes specially-designed Phosphorus-binding media aimed at reducing nutrient concentrations
- Planting of native trees, shrubs and grasses to act as biofilters and to provide bank stabilization
Alliance-partnered projects are made possible thanks to the work of many dedicated partners, with funding generously provided by The Lenna Foundation, Ralph C. Sheldon Foundation, Chautauqua Region Community Foundation, Gebbie Foundation, Holmberg Foundation, Hultquist Foundation, County of Chautauqua, New York State, and private contributors.